Oscar Eye: Life Of Pi And Silver Linings Playbook Make Their Case For Best Picture

Sometimes when you've got a category that feels this empty, one contender can walk into the vacuum and run away with it. There's no guarantee yet but some anonymous rumors say that Jessica Chastian in Zero Dark Thirty is formidable, and she's in a similarly strong position as Jennifer Lawrence-- an ingenue who recently emerged out of nowhere and has a previous nomination to back up her bona fides. It could be a fascinating showdown between the two of them if both get nominated-- and if you add Quvenzhane Wallis to the mix, a very youth-focused Best Actress competition.